A Love Story - Kissing
by Trixfan
Summary: Part 2 - Initially a one shot, this little dribble came to me and I just had to share it. Left reeling by Jim's statement of intention about dating Trixie, Helen opens a letter from her daughter. The subject, you guessed it, Kissing.


_Dear Moms,_

_I'm sitting in personal development class chewing on my pencil. I have an assignment. I need to choose someone very important to me and write them a letter about a controversial topic. I thought of Jim straight away. You know how much we talk. Mart is constantly telling me (imagine my eyes rolling) to get my own phone and not tie up the line for hours every night. So you see, there is nothing I really need to discuss with my boyfriend, especially anything contentious. You and Daddy know how special I think he is and how open we've been about our relationship._

_Then I thought about the things __**we**__ never talk about, like kissing boys and what comes next. I want to open an honest dialogue with you. You can't be surprised Moms, not after you and Daddy read Jim's manifesto (don't be shocked, yes I know what the word means and how to spell it. One walking dictionary in the house is quite enough, thank you. Besides, I have the most wonderful man in the world for a personal tutor. I guess this proves my English is getting better). It's been a couple of months since we started dating and there are things I really need to talk about with you._

Helen had to smile. Eyes misting over, she remembered that fateful day. James Frayne walked their daughter home Saturday afternoon after exercising the horses, requesting to speak with them while the rest of their children were otherwise engaged. Trixie didn't hide her approach to the house and immediately confessed to leaving Jim's statement of intent on the stairs for her parents to find.

'Mr and Mrs Belden,' Jim hadn't displayed one iota of nervousness as he faced Trixie's parents, 'I've asked Trixie out on our first date tonight and she's agreed. We're going to see a movie at the Cameo and then join the rest of the Bob Whites at Wimpies for burgers.'

'You're not asking for permission?' Peter sounded a little aggrieved.

'No Sir,' Jim looked the older man in the eye but spoke humbly. 'I'm not trying to be confrontational, just honest. I'm going to date your daughter with or without your permission, Mr Belden.'

Placing a hand on her husband's arm, Helen watched the synergy between the young couple. Her daughters' eyes sparkled as she looked up at the boy she obviously adored. Using her empty hand, Mrs Belden picked up the letter still sitting on the kitchen table.

'Do you stand by everything you've written in this, Jim?' Helen asked.

'Yes,' he used the word as a determined affirmation, a hand reaching out to link with Trixie's.

'Good,' Helen nodded. Focusing her cerulean gaze on her daughter, she really didn't need to ask the next question. Reading from the letter, the older woman asked, 'do you _believe if it's the right person and the right time, its fate?'_

'Yes, Moms,' Trixie grinned. Before she could add more, Helen shook her head.

'Then I think everything that needs to be said has been,' she remonstrated. 'I just hope both of you live up to the high moral standards we've instilled. There is no shame in waiting.'

Nodding sagely, Jim understood the warning. Trixie's smile lost some of its shine as her mother's caution sunk in. Peter, on the other hand, had to fight the steam trying to escape from his ears.

_I've always wanted to ask about you and Daddy. Suddenly it seems important. I want to know when you met and what happened on your first date? Most importantly, how did your first kiss happen? Jim and I have been dating for a while now and he's given me lots of pecks on the cheek. Last week he finally allowed his lips to touch mine. I didn't want him to stop, but you know Mr Honourable (yet another eye roll). We'd been riding with the rest of the Bob Whites and it happened in the tack room at the stable. Regan must have known, I'm sure my face told him the story. He smiled then told us to put the saddles away, that sort of thing could wait for our date._

_When he tried again before dropping me home, I deliberately opened my mouth. What can I say Moms, something monumental occurred. I want to experience that every time we're together. For the first time I felt Mr Honourable's resolve slipping. Moms, I knew I had the ability to make Jim hot for me, but until that moment I didn't realise just how much. It's kind of amazing and scary all at once. It's made me understand the depth of my feelings and recognise Jim's as well. I've never craved power over people, all the same, I have it over Jim and I guess he has it over me too. I've always thought of him as the most wonderful man in the world, now I know I love him, completely and unconditionally._

'O, boy,' Helen muttered under her breath. Looking up at clock, she had about an hour to think before Trixie arrived home on the school bus.

'Moms,' Trixie yelled, slamming the back door as she rushed to get into the house, 'did you say Bobby could go to the Lynch's after school. I saw him walking up the drive with Larry and Terry.'

'I'm in the kitchen, Trixie,' Helen replied. The hour disappeared in a flash. She waited impatiently for her daughter to enter the cosy room. 'I thought you might like to have an afternoon alone with me,' she indicated Trixie take the chair adjacent to her at the table. 'Maybe we could talk about the things we never get the time too with Mart and Bobby around.'

Sarah Lynch agreed to pick up Bobby with her four children. He'd be staying for dinner. On a week night, the youngest Belden would be delighted. Helen then called Peter at work to let him know about this new complication. He'd wiped his hands of the entire situation after the "dating" episode. Allowing his wife to deal with it, he'd be home late. Mart always stayed after school on a Wednesday for chess club, catching a lift home with Dan.

Looking confused, Trixie shrugged her shoulders. 'Sure,' she grinned. 'You're only stopping me from doing my homework before Jim calls this evening.'

'What are you plans for the weekend?' Helen felt proud, managing to keep her tone level. As an opening gambit, she wanted to use the innocuous question to get to the real topic.

Suddenly down cast, Trixie frowned. 'I don't have any.'

'Oh,' Helen quirked an eyebrow, taking in Trixie's reaction. 'Jim's managed to come back to Sleepyside every weekend since you starting dating in early August last year. I thought he'd be home from college Friday evening.'

'No,' Trixie shook her curly mop. 'He's flying to Pittsburgh with a group of college classmates tomorrow. They're clearing some land so Habitat for Humanity can get planning permission to start construction in March. Jim's going back for the first week of spring vacation to help build the houses. You know Mr Honourable,' the accompanying eye roll became Trixie's way of saying how proud she felt. Her boyfriend, even with his personal fortune and the Wheelers financial backing still found the time to help others less fortunate.

'Trixie,' Helen's blond mop did a rapid shake, 'why do you continue to call Jim Mr Honourable?'

'Because,' the young girl laughed happily, 'it describes him perfectly. James Frayne really is the most Honourable person I know.'

'Even when he doesn't come home for the weekend,' Helen held back the smile as the humour disappeared from her blue sparkling eyes.

'It took some time to realise he is even more of a Mr Honourable when Jim's helping other people.' Staring into space, Trixie suddenly shook her head, bringing her thoughts back to the present. 'I know it's only one weekend but I'm going to miss him, Moms.'

'Jim,' Helen could have leapt for joy at the introduction to the conversation she wanted to have, 'or the way he makes you feel?'

Laughter returning, Trixie glanced at her mother. 'Both,' she stated with a cheeky wink. 'Even when Jim's not with me during the week, I know we'll talk before I go to bed. If we can't be together, then just hearing his voice is the next best thing. I count the days until Friday when he picks me up from school. It's going to feel strange, not being able to hug and kiss him this weekend. I think I've become addicted to the way he makes me feel.'

'Oh,' Helen tried to use the word as a non-committal rejoinder, hoping her daughter would continue without prompting.

'I love Jim, Moms, but sometimes I wonder how long he's going to stay so honourable.' Sighing, Helen heard the wistfulness in Trixie's voice. 'We'd been dating three months when I finally got him to kiss me properly. Since then, well, he's kind of _really_ turned into Mr Honourable. Every time I try to move things along, he very gently stops us.'

'You're only sixteen,' Helen reminded.

'And been dating the man I'm going to marry one day for six months,' Trixie remained.

'But,' Helen stuttered. Taking the letter from her pocket, she noticed the enormous grin erupt on Trixie's face. Glancing down at it, she finally looked at the date.

'I wrote that in November last year,' her daughter pointed to the post mark. 'I wondered why you'd never said anything before Christmas. I waited for a lecture from you or Dad. When it didn't come, I guessed you were OK with the state of my relationship.'

'Just how far,' Helen spoke aloud, her voice filled with trepidation, 'has your relationship developed.'

Pushing herself out of the chair, Trixie managed to chuckle. 'Moms,' she stated, picking up her bag, 'we're talking about Mr Honourable, the most moral and ethical person in the world. Just how far do you think I've managed to push him?'

'Second base,' Helen asked hopefully.

'Right,' rolling her eyes, Trixie prepared to go upstairs and do her homework, 'like that's going to happen before I turn seventeen, no matter how much I offer. Third requires at least an engagement ring. Jim's words, not mine. Personally, I can't see Jim agreeing to a home run until we're married. He'd better not keep me waiting much past graduation or I won't be responsible for my actions.'

Mouth open, Helen watched her daughter waltz out of the room. Pausing at the frame, Trixie turned back to face her mother. 'You know, I've always considered you the most important person in my life, Moms. Someday I'd love to sit and talk about how you met Dad. Right now I have a ton of Math homework to get through. If I want to go to college at the same campus as Jim chooses for his graduate degree, I'm going to have to improve my grades. It'd be pretty hard to be in a different state or college when you're married.'


End file.
